Whatever it Takes
by ShellSueD
Summary: Desperate times lead to desperate measures and Tank is willing to do whatever it takes, even involve Stephanie, in order to help Ranger.


_JE owns the rights to anything familiar - all mistakes are unfortunately my doing._

Thanks to _ **LilyGhost**_ for the title and summary, you are the best!

AN: And many thanks to all of you who have sent me messages lately and have taken the time to leave reviews. I am very short on time and probably haven't replied to any of them, but I have read them and appreciate every single one. And those of you waiting on updates for my other stories, I'm working on them, I promise!

* * *

I'd been with Woody all day and though I liked the guy, it was taking all of my available self-control not to squeeze his neck until his head came off. He hasn't stopped talking since we got in the car and we're well into hour four of the nearly five hour drive from Boston back to Trenton.

It's a good thing the trip was almost over or Ranger would have to hire a new man because Woody would be toast. If he tells me one more time about the night he had a four-way with Santos and two strippers they picked up at Juicy Lucy's, I might kill him anyway.

"You should meet her," he said. The comment somehow made in through my current thoughts on the best way to dispose of a body and since my mind had been otherwise occupied, I'd missed the first part of the discussion and had to ask, "Who?"

 _Was that an eye roll I saw?_ "My sister; you're just her type."

I've learned over the years I'm not really _any_ woman'stype, but I didn't contradict him and instead went with the non-response of, "Hmm," I'd been using the entire car ride. As predicted, it did nothing to discourage him from continuing to speak.

"You're exactly the kind of guy she goes for. The bigger the better...if you know what I mean." I gave him a little side-eye at the comment, briefly taking my eyes off the road and he waggled his shaggy brows at me.

"Does your sister know you talk about her like that? And why are you so familiar with the kind of man she prefers?"

Woody tilted his head back and laughed and if I wasn't driving, I may have punched him right in the exposed esophagus. "I was just fucking with you to see if you were paying attention. You haven't really been listening to me the whole way back."

"That's because you never shut up. Do you even know all the things that come out of your mouth? No one wants to hear about your sexcapades with Santos. Seriously, _no_ _one."_

"So you _were_ listening. Did you ever think maybe I wouldn't talk so much if you contributed to the conversation occasionally?"

Okay, he had a point but I don't like to talk unless it's important and my business is _my_ business; I don't feel the need to share personal shit just because I'm trapped in a vehicle with someone.

"Look, I get it. You and Ranger are the same that way, only speaking if there is something worth saying, but maybe for a four hour car ride you could spit out a few sentences."

"Hmm," I offered one more time and Woody laughed again.

"Never mind, you're hopeless, but I'll do you a solid and not say anything until we're back."

Wow, a whole fifteen minutes. _How generous_. I had serious doubts about him lasting that long but true to his word, he didn't speak until we entered the Rangeman garage.

"I wasn't really joking about my sister," he said as we hit the stairs. "She's into the strong, silent type and you definitely fit both those bills."

"Yeah, because she's had to listen to your chatty ass her whole life. I'd want to be with someone who knows how to shut the hell up, too."

Woody flashed me all his teeth as he swung the door open to the fourth floor apartments. "Probably true. Let me know if you want her number."

With that parting offer, I continued on to the fifth floor to check in with control. And thanks to that fucking asshole who talks incessantly, I started to remember just how long it had been since I'd enjoyed some female companionship.

 _Too damn long._

Thankfully that dangerous train of thought was derailed by a commotion coming from the monitor room. Slick and Junior were the only two who should have been there but I poked my head in and found a dozen guys gathered around the high-definition screens.

"Twenty says he knocks him out in under ten," Manny said and held up the cash he was putting on the line.

"No way," Lester countered. "He's tired and starting to weaken. Cal will flatten him in that condition. Fifty says Cal takes him down in twenty."

"Ha!" Bones barked out in disbelief. "This is _Ranger_ we're talking about. Nobody takes him down, even if he's tired."

Ranger? He was supposed to be in Miami. I wondered what the hell had brought him home three days early as I stepped fully into the room and made my voice go deeper than normal.

"Someone want to tell me what the fuck is going on?" I had to bite the inside of my cheek to keep from smiling when most of them jerked in surprise. So much for always being aware of your surroundings.

"Uh, well, ummm..." Ram stuttered out and I shoved my way through the bodies so I could see for myself what I'd already deduced.

Ranger was currently beating the shit out of Cal and though I needed to discipline everyone in the room for wagering on the outcome when they should have been working, what I saw on Ranger's face was a bigger concern.

 _I hadn't seen that look in a very long time._

And Manny was right; Cal was going down but it wouldn't take even close to ten minutes. I watched Ranger pull his arm back and even knowing it was coming, I still flinched a little when his fist connected solidly with Cal's torso. From the way he twisted after the impact, I was guessing at least two of his ribs cracked.

"How long has he been this way?" I demanded of the room.

Multiple eyes darted around the room before Lester was silently elected the spokesmen of the group. "A couple of hours."

 _Shit_. Not much would stop him now. "How many has he gone through?"

"Cal makes six," Lester informed me quietly.

"Jesus Christ, Santos! Too busy hustling some cash to figure out he's gone off the rails?" I yanked him out into the hall by the collar of his shirt and slammed him up against the wall. "When did he get back and what set him off?"

Lester squirmed, trying to break my hold so I pressed harder. "This afternoon and I don't know, I just mentioned that I heard Stephanie got engaged to the cop and the next thing I knew he was asking for sparring partners."

Instead of maiming him, I let Lester go and shoved him away from me, just in case, and gestured to the monitor room. "Get them out of there and back to work and send Bobby down there, right now."

 _Fucking Santos._ Now I was going to have to try and talk him down without losing a limb. What I should do is send in Lester, he deserved it for letting it get so out of hand but Ranger would most likely kill him.

I hit the stairs at a run and didn't stop until I pushed open the door to the gym. I was just in time to see Cal dropping to the floor of the ring like a cleaved redwood. The smack of his massive frame onto the mat echoed through the room.

Ranger stared down at the fallen man while his chest heaved and blood dripped from the spilt knuckles on his right hand.

I slowed to a walk and made my way to the boxing ring. He didn't look up, but I knew he was aware of my presence. Ranger never missed a god damn thing, even when he was in a borderline manic state.

Lester was right about one thing, he was tired. If I had to guess I'd say he hadn't slept in at least twenty four hours and now he'd worn his body down to the extreme. Unfortunately, Ranger was still highly lethal in this condition and I was about to walk right into the lion's den.

"I think you cracked a couple of his ribs," I said carefully as I leaned into the ropes so I could get a better look at Cal.

"Three," Ranger said with a voice so devoid of emotion it sent a chill down my spine.

"Alright, and he probably has a concussion too. Since I need him on that building renovation next week I called Bobby down to take a look."

"Fine. You can take his place."

"Thanks for the offer, but I prefer my ribs fully intact. Maybe you can give it a rest for the night or at least switch to a bag so we don't have to call in contract workers to fill in."

"Or maybe my staff should get into better shape so they can take a few hits like the men they're supposed to be." He moved to the edge of the ring and jumped over the ropes as if they weren't four feet high, landing silently on the gym floor. He headed for the row of bags and I watched from where I was.

Within seconds he was leaving bloody marks and hitting a bag so hard I was sure it was going to break free from the chain securing it to the ceiling. Bobby showed up with Zip a minute later and they started working on Cal.

"You didn't try and put an end to this?" I asked, knowing he had.

Bobby shot me a disgusted look as he shined a light in Cal's eyes. "You know I did, and you know it's nearly impossible to get him to stop when he gets this way. And you _also_ know I've had my hands full with those who were stupid enough to take him on so why don't you cut the bullshit."

"What's the damage?" I queried, not really sure I wanted to know.

"Two concussions, two sprained wrists, one broken clavicle and now cracked ribs."

"Suggestions?" I asked.

"At this point, sedation - unless you can get him to stick to the bags. But he's going to fuck up his hands if you don't get him to stop so I'm going back to sedation."

It will take three of us, minimum."

"Yeah and he's already taken out our two biggest guys, besides you. Any other ideas?" Bobby and Zip moved the moaning Cal onto a long backboard and told him not to move.

"One," I admitted, "but it's a total Hail Mary."

"Whatever it is, do it," Bobby said. "I'm running out of room in the infirmary."

I glanced back at Ranger and shook my head as some dust fell from the ceiling surrounding the chain. "Lock him down and don't let any other idiots back in here…and get the drugs ready in case this doesn't work." I made my way to the door and added over my shoulder, "I'll be back as soon as I can."

It was a long shot, maybe even a complete waste of time if she was really engaged to the cop, but I headed to Stephanie's anyway.

The light was on in her living room when I pulled into the lot, which I took as a good sign. I really didn't have the time to track her down.

I climbed the stairs to the second floor and paused for a second before I knocked. I hadn't been to her apartment before, not without Ranger, so this would probably be awkward for both of us. After rapping three times I took a step back and waited for her to answer. Her footsteps were clear as she reached the door and then there was nothing as I imagined she was staring out the peephole. I expected some hesitation but she swung it open immediately

"Is something wrong?"

Right to the point. I've always admired that about her. "May I come in?"

She paused for a beat, assessing my presence warily with her big blue eyes and then stepped aside to let me enter. I'd forgotten how small it was but everything else, with the exception of the couch, was as I remembered it.

"What happened to the couch?" I asked as I made myself at home and sat in the chair across from said sofa.

"It had death cooties," she told me, "so I had to get a new one."

I'd heard about the dead guy she found sawed in half and creepily placed inside her apartment but no one had mentioned the cooties. "That's reasonable," I said lightly, "though it's not the only new thing I hear you have."

She looked genuinely perplexed and my eyes drifted to her left hand. _No ring._ That was promising.

"Well, I got a new blender, but I don't think that made the news. Listen, not that I'm not enjoying this home decor discussion, but you don't seem like the kind of person who drops in for social visits so is there a problem? Is Ranger okay?"

"Are you engaged to Morelli?" I shot back. I liked to get right to the point too.

Stephanie tipped back her head and began to laugh. "Who told you that?"

"It's just a rumor I heard, but I prefer to learn things right from the source."

She attempted to lift an eyebrow before settling herself onto the end of the new couch. "What would you say if I told you that's really none of your business?"

"I'd say you're right and then I'd ask again."

She leaned back against the cushions and crossed her arms over her chest in a classic defensive posture. I'd seen Ranger do it a hundred times when anyone tried to get too personal.

"Did you really come here just to ask about my current relationship status?" Deflection, also a classic Ranger move. Those two were more alike than they even realized.

"Yes and no," I said and set the laptop I'd been carrying onto the coffee table between us. "What's going on between you and Ranger?" I logged on and cued up the security feed to the gym while she stared at me with her mouth agape.

"Would you answer these kinds of personal questions if I was asking?" She wanted to know. The annoyance was clear on her face but mostly I was making her uncomfortable. I was used to that; I made everyone uncomfortable.

"Absolutely not. I think the world would be a lot better place if everyone minded their own fucking business but in this particular case, I have to make an exception."

She tilted her head slightly and held my gaze for a second, something Ranger also did.

"Ranger and I are...keeping our distance. Now do I get to know what this is about?"

I spun the laptop so she could see the screen and it had the effect I expected from someone who was in love with him. She let out a gasp and then covered her mouth with her hand as the tears gathered.

"What happened?" She whispered as the bag I thought wouldn't stay secured came tumbling down from the ceiling. It didn't faze Ranger; he moved onto the next one and began again.

"I'm not sure but if we can't get him to stop he's going to do some serious damage."

Steph's head shot up. "You think _I_ can help? Are you nuts? If _you_ can't get him to what makes you think I'd have better luck?"

"Because he's not in love with _me_."

She leapt to her feet and stared down at me. "What? No. That's not...why would you think that he..."

Listen," I interrupted the stuttering. "I can't be positive about anything but I _do_ know he's never looked at anyone the way he looks at you so if someone has a shot of getting through to him, you'd be at the top of the list."

Her hand went to her hair, pushing the unruly curls back from her face and I held a breath, hoping I hadn't pushed too far.

"I need to get dressed," she finally said, looking down at the pajamas clinging to her body.

It took her five minutes to change into a pair of worn jeans and a stretchy red t-shirt and then I was guiding her out the door and into my waiting vehicle. She didn't say another word until we entered the building.

"Tank?"

"Yeah?"

"I'm not engaged."

"I know," I said and led her to the gym.

We found Hector and Zip guarding the door and Stephanie greeted them both warmly.

"Has he tried to get out?

"No," Hector replied.

"Bobby's in there trying to talk him down but he's not listening," Zip supplied.

"He will now," Hector stated boldly with his eyes on Stephanie.

I thought so too and I hoped we were both right.

"Keep your distance from him, Chica," he advised. "At least until he stops swinging."

"He's tired," Zip added, "but not tired enough and you definitely don't want to get in the way of those flying fists."

"I'll have her back," I told them and with a nod, Hector disengaged the locks, allowing us to enter.

Bobby was trying to reason with him but was also wisely keeping his distance. His head swiveled in our direction when we arrived and if he was surprised at my guest, he didn't show it.

Stephanie looked at me one more time and I nodded my encouragement and wished her luck, which it turned out she didn't need.

All it took was one word.

She said his name and Ranger's head snapped up. The punching stopped and he slowly turned to face her. Their eyes met and held for a single beat before he reached out and pulled her into his arms.

Bobby closed his mouth, which had fallen open at the sight before us, and then we left them alone.

The hallway was clear, Hector and Zip having vacated the area after granting us entrance and Bobby leaned against the wall just outside the room. "Have you ever seen anything like that before?" He asked.

"No."

"How did you know it would work?"

"I didn't."

Bobby laughed. "Yeah you did or you wouldn't have tried it. They're in love."

It was a statement so I didn't reply and Bobby let out an extended sigh. "It's been so long I don't even remember what it's like to have a woman touch me, let alone _love_ me."

"Me either," I confessed.

"Lucky asshole," he tacked on and then went to check on Cal and the rest of the unwitting victims of Ranger's wrath.

It had been an exhausting fucking day and I was ready for it to be over but I still had to reprimand the betting morons so I headed to my office on five and started the list. After I'd doled out the last week of latrine duty and listened to Binkie whine about how he'd smell like bleach for a week, I still hadn't stopped thinking about Ranger and Stephanie and Bobby's comment and how it had been close to a year since I remember a woman even giving me a second look.

It made me do something stupid and impulsive. Something I knew I'd regret later.

He answered on the second ring.

"Okay, what's your sister's number?"


End file.
